


Mistletoe Kisses

by randomascas



Category: Rise (TV 2018)
Genre: Angst, Christmas Fluff, Christmas Party, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-06
Updated: 2018-05-06
Packaged: 2019-05-02 20:45:59
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,905
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14553192
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/randomascas/pseuds/randomascas
Summary: It’s a very Rise Christmas Party, and all that can go wrong does. Oh, and there’s a lot of mistletoe.





	Mistletoe Kisses

**Author's Note:**

> This is based on a realistic timeline, as the Pennsylvania High School Football Playoffs start in early November and they aren’t in playoff season yet in the show so basically SA is in early November. This has been a ted talk.

“Jeremy, where are your ornaments?”

The blond boy looked up suddenly from his phone. “Huh?”

Jolene pointed to what she insisted was the cast’s proudest achievement, a twelve foot tall, perfect Christmas tree. She’d spent the last thirty minutes wrapping the tree in lights with Gwen, and now, she was decorating it with Jolene. Each kid in the troupe was supposed to contribute something for their party that night, and since Jeremy was late to the group chat, he had gotten stuck with ornaments.

“Green room, Jo,” He mumbled, looking back to the small screen in his hands. He laughed, quietly, and typed something back in reply. The whole time, Jolene just stood there, tapping her toe to be extra.

“Jeremy.”

“What?”

“Help.”

“But Simon isn’t getting what I mean when I say that the pre-calc test was homophobic.”

“Shit, what?” She ripped the phone from his hands, and sat down next to him. “You haven’t educated him in this? God, you are a terrible boyfriend.”

“Not too loud,” He mumbled, grabbing for his cell. Simon still wasn’t good at discussing it outside of the troupe, and anyone could enter the auditorium at anytime. They had been pulled from class during their last period, courtesy of Mr. Mazzu.

Jolene held the phone away so that he couldn’t reach it, and started scrolling through the most recent texts. “You two are disgusting,” She said after a moment. “It’s making me nauseous.”

“Fuck off.”

“Get me a girlfriend and then we’ll talk.” She lobbed the phone back to him, and hopped to her feet. “Now, where’d you put the box?”

“The kitchen.”

“Are you making me get these all by myself?”

He nodded, slightly, but was already back to texting. Then, he added, “You have Gwen.”

“She’s off… making out with Gordy or something. I don’t know.” It was a very Jolene thing to say, so Jeremy practically ignored her. “Come on, help me-” She pulled at his sleeve like a little kid. Finally, he sighed and stood up.

“Fine. But I get to decorate the green room, okay? Before the party tonight?”

“Alright, lovebird.”

“Shut up.”

She winked at him, and turned on her heal. “Now, how many did you bring?”

“All of my grandma’s old ones.”

Suddenly, she slowed, confused. “Wait, isn’t your grandma Jewish?”

“Grandma Travers. She’s the baptist one.”

“Oh.” She pulled the theatre’s back door open. “And you brought your other grandma’s menorah?”

“Yes, Jo. You’ve been reminding me all week.”

“Just checking.” The door slammed closed behind them, as they entered the hallway to the green room. “Tell me about these decorations so I’m not too horrified when I see them.”

He shrugged. “Well, according to my mom, we got them in the eighties so-”

“So they’re hideous.”

“Yeah.”

“Great.”

The door to the green room was wide open, and through it, the box was completely visible. Some of the violently red ornaments were sticking through the top of the box, where the cardboard didn’t quite come together.

Jolene fake gagged as they approached the table. “I can’t believe that’s what you brought.”

“I’m literally half jewish, Jo. I celebrate Hanukkah.”

“What about the other half?”

“That’s all ugly 80s christmas ornaments.” He finger gunned at her, grinning.

“Get out of my life.” Jolene was having a hard time keeping a straight face.

“Ooh, wouldn’t dream of it.” She flipped him off before suddenly dissolving into giggles. They both did.

It had been only about a month since the show closed, but it felt like eternity without the cast. Of course, Simon drove Jeremy home on a regular basis, and he had english with Jo and Michael third period, but it was different. Backstage, they were safe to be themselves. Out there… Well, out there, Simon was just a friend, and their car trips were just for convenience.

Jo picked up the box, and bit her lip. “Okay, uh… Mistletoe and wreaths are over by the couch. Go to town with both of those in here, alright?”

“Aye Aye, Captain.”

“I can’t hear you!” She was already running out of the room, as she yelled it, so Jeremy didn’t get the chance to punch her.

Once Jolene was gone, Jeremy got to work. There was a lot of greenery, since Michael decided they should take the name “green room” literally. The plan was simple: put some well placed mistletoe above the doors, and decorate the gross counters so that the room didn’t look as run down as usual.

Of course, Jeremy’s motivations in decorating the room were a bit more self centered. He was always with Simon, but they had to take a sort of “no homo bro” approach to their relationship. And that meant no kissing, not when there were people around. Jeremy’s parents didn’t let them stay home alone, either, because they knew. So they never really got around to much more than forehead kisses and hand holding. And sometimes, Jeremy just really really wanted to kiss his boyfriend like a regular person.

It was stupid. But so was mistletoe.

Jeremy grabbed the ladder from the closet, to hang the decorations. There were holly and pine branches galore, and he didn’t mind spending time on making them look perfect. Simon had to make up a bio test, anyway.

At some point, Annabelle came in to join him. “How’s it going?”

“Oh. uh hey, Annabelle. It’s good, it’s good.”

She grabbed one of the wreaths from the couch and went to the door to hang it up. “So, what’d you get for Simon?” She smiled at him, and Jeremy was suddenly really thankful. She’d been nothing but supportive after Simon came out, and she got how hard it must’ve been for Simon, knowing his parents. Jeremy respected her, a lot.

“I, uh, found this vintage Jesus Christ Superstar shirt. Don’t tell him, though.”

“Don’t worry, I wouldn’t dream of ruining the surprise.”

“What about you?”

She laughed, quietly. “I think his perfect boyfriend’s perfect gift is going to be a lot better than my ITunes gift card.”

Jeremy rolled his eyes. “I mean, like, any special gifts?”

“Oh, uh…” She shrugged. “Mike and I made Sasha a baby blanket, I guess.”

“Nice.” After a few moments of silence, Annabelle headed to the couch to grab the second wreath for the other door. “Did you bring the tree?”

“What?”

“Oh, I just thought, you know, that you had a pretty big car so…”

“No, uh, I think Gwen did. I’m assigned to cookies tonight.”

They settled into silence, but Jeremy didn’t mind. He liked silence, sometimes. It let him think more.

Every once in awhile, he’d check his phone. He didn’t know why, really. Simon had French, so he didn’t have time to text, and Michael was in choir. And they were the only two who ever actually texted him during classes.

Once the room was a perfect representation of its name, and it smelled like a car air freshener, Jeremy grabbed the little bundles of mistletoe that Lilette had put together for the party. “You want me to hang these up or…” He asked Annabelle, who had just finished decorating the cupboards.

“Yeah, uh, go ahead. I think I’m gonna to head out. I have a math quiz to make up in Stevens class.”

“Yeah, sure. See you tonight?”

She nodded. “Totally!”

She grabbed her books from the coffee table, and left. Once he was alone, Jeremy started hanging up the mistletoe, with one above each door. There were a few extra pieces left over, so Jeremy just shoved them in his jeans pockets and put the ladder back. He checked his phone again to see what time it was, if Simon would be waiting for him yet. Simon. He left the green room with a smile on his face.

 

*****

 

“I’m just saying that Kranepool and Tracey isn't a bad thing for my grade, you know?” Jeremy was kind of babbling, while they walked to Simon’s car. They sat across the classroom from each other in all of their classes together, so until the end of the day, quick glances and goofy faces had to suffice. At the end of the day, they’d usually just word vomit to each other.

It was, however, quickly becoming apparent that something was up with Simon.

“Yeah, I guess,” he mumbled, as he fumbled with his car door handle. Jeremy stopped walking. The whole scene was reminiscent of their first real kiss, really, and it hurt to think that they’d ever been so lost.

“Hey, something bothering you?” Jeremy stepped towards him. They were getting too close, he knew it, but he couldn’t help it.

“No, just…” And suddenly, Simon gave up. He exhaled, and looked away. “My parents are coming tonight.”

“So…”

“So no you and me, Jere. No Christmas presents, no cuddling. Nothing.” He looked about ready to cry, right then and there. Jeremy took another step towards him, and took his hand. It was too much, but it wasn’t enough, either. Not to comfort the hurting boy in front of Jeremy.

“How about we forget about the Christmas party?”

“What?”

“We don’t have to go, Simon. We could drive nowhere and just… I don’t know. But we don’t have to stay here.”

Simon shook his head, and pulled his hand back. “No, uh, we should go. Home, I mean. My parents will start to worry if I’m not back by four. If you still need the ride tonight, though, we can fit one more person in the car. Just, you know...”

“‘No homo, bro’?”

“Exactly.”

Jeremy loved Simon, really, but he wasn’t able to protect him from his father. It hurt. “Okay.” It was such a bleak answer, but he didn’t know what else to say. God, he really just wanted to kiss Simon right then. Kiss him and tell him it would all be okay. But he couldn’t do that. And, if Simon’s dad knew about them, it wouldn’t be.

Simon sighed, and slid back into his car. Jeremy jogged to the other side, and hopped into the passenger seat. Quickly, Simon shifted into drive, and then reached for Jeremy’s hand. Simon felt so warm, and his grip was so tight; he seemed scared that Jeremy would just slip away if he didn’t cling to him for dear life.

Jeremy ran his thumb over the other boys skin. God, he wanted to kiss him. But this was enough, for the time being.

 

*****

 

Jeremy could feel the heat off of Simon’s body through his thin Christmas sweater. They were crammed into the back seat of his mom’s hatchback with Emma. The whole car ride so far, Jeremy just wanted to hold his hand, pet his hair. He couldn’t, of course. But God he wanted to.

“We’re so glad you two became friends, Jeremy,” Simon’s mom said, awkwardly. The car was filled with tension, due to Simon’s dad. And she could definitely tell, because she glared straight at him.

“Oh, uh, yeah.” Mr. Saunsers didn’t sound very excited to agree.

“Well, so am I.” Jeremy’s words tumbled out of his lips, like he was scared they would betray him. Betray them. “Simon’s awesome, really.” Normally he’d crack a joke about making out with someone in practice makes you really close, but not here. Not now.

“So are you,” Simon whispered. It was a dangerous play on his part.

And Simon’s dad shut it down. “What was that?”

“I said ‘not really’.”

“Oh, don’t be modest,” Jeremy mumbled. The words fit awkwardly in his mouth. They were fake. So very fake.

“Simon, you grabbed Francis's gift, right?” As she said it, Mrs. Saunders turned down the street towards the school. Two minutes until freedom.

“Yeah, mom.”

“Jeremy, who did you have for secret Santa?”

“Um, I got Lexi.”

“And what did you get her?”

“Just some video stuff.”

She smiled at him in the rear-view mirror. One more minute. “See, Simon got Francis, and he had a really hard time finding something.”

“Yeah, uh, I heard. I just asked Annabelle what she thought Lexi might like, honestly.”

Before Mrs. Saunders could reply, her husband cut it. “You know, Simon, I really liked her. What happened to you guys?”

Jeremy watched his boyfriend’s eyes fill with pain. All of them knew what he was doing, baiting Simon. It hurt to be part of.

They pulled into the school parking lot, but nobody moved.

“We broke up, Dad.”

“Well, obviously. I’m just saying-“

“Robert, please.” This was Mrs. Saunders. She was a bloody saint, in all honesty. In a much quieter voice, she said, “Not now, not in front of Jeremy.”

Jeremy looked to Simon, for just a second, and then reached for the door handle. “We should probably head on in.” It came out louder than he meant for it too, and it cut through the air like a knife.

Mrs. Saunders’ focus snapped back to them. “Oh, yes, yes! Go on in, please.”

Without hesitation, Jeremy shoved the door open, and slid out. Simon followed close behind, and they listened as Emma’s door, too, opened and closed. She met them on the other side of the car, and Simon grinned. God, he looked so damn adorable in his ugly Christmas sweater.

He took his little sister’s hand, and whispered something to her. Jeremy barely made out a word of it, but he knew it was about their parents. They were always fighting, since Spring Awakening. Simon was right. It had blown up his family.

“Yeah, uh, shall we?” Simon asked after a moment. He didn’t wait for an answer, just started power walking. Sometimes it really hurt Jeremy to watch him.

 

*****

 

Simon wasn’t having fun, and Jeremy could tell. His parents were always right there, always with everyone else’s parents, always too close for the two of them to act like a couple. It didn’t help that Lilette and Robbie had been holding hands the whole party. It didn’t help that Gwen was on Gordy’s lap. It didn’t help that everyone else got to be in love.

All through Secret Santa, Jeremy suffered for both of them. It had been fun, for the most part. Maashous had Jeremy, and he got him a Waitress shirt. Jeremy secretly thought it was Lou’s idea, since he’d auditioned for Spring Awakening with “Only Takes a Taste”.

But Simon, Simon got a copy of Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens’ Agenda. It was from Violet, and of course she didn’t understand. But everyone close enough to Simon to know his parents held their breath. Simon looked like he was going to pass out. And his dad suddenly had to leave.

Yes, it had been fun, for the most part. And then it had all gone to hell.

For a moment, no one moved. And then, suddenly, Simon bolted off, towards the light box at the back of the theater.

“Simon, Simon, wait!” Jeremy was on his feet before Lilette moved, and he put up his hand to stop her. He didn’t want her to get drawn further into this mess. He sprinted after Simon.

It was quiet, up by the lighting booth. And then Jeremy heard it: Simon was sobbing.

Jeremy slowly pulled the door open, and there he was. He looked so broken. Jeremy’s chest hurt.

“Simon.”

“Go away.” He sounded so broken.

Jeremy tentatively stepped forward. “Simon, it’s me.”

Simon didn’t look up, for a few moments, not even when Jeremy sunk down next to him. “I’m screwed, Jeremy.”

“No, no you aren’t.”

“My dad, he…”

“He can suck it up, okay?”

Simon shook his head.

Desperately, Jeremy tried to change the subject. “I have your gift at my house. You can spend the night, if you want.”

Finally, Simon looked up. His face was covered in tears. “Jeremy, will we ever get to be normal?”

“What?”

“I’m so screwed up. You try so damn hard, but I’m just so screwed up.”

Jeremy cupped the brunette’s face. “No you aren’t.”

“Jere, I can’t even touch you in front of people. We can’t hold hands. We can’t cuddle. We can’t kiss under the mistletoe. We can’t do this.”

Mistletoe. Jeremy realized he still had some in his pocket, from earlier. He moved his hand back, to pull it out. “Who wants normal, though?”

“Me.”

Jeremy laughed, quietly. “Well, I can’t promise you normal. But…” He slowly held the mistletoe up. It was a bit bent and broken, like them. “I can offer you a kiss under the mistletoe, if you want.”

Simon cracked a smile. God, it fit his features so well.

“I’d love that.”

Jeremy wrapped one arm around Simon. With his other, he held the wimpy mistletoe over their heads. Simon bit his lip, studying the blonde boy. And then he leaned in. They met in the middle, and Jeremy could feel the smile forming on Simon’s lips. He loved it. He loved Simon.

The kiss only lasted a moment, but it felt like an eternity. Because it was perfect. And normal. Jeremy never wanted to kiss anyone else.

Jeremy pulled him closer. Simon wrapped his legs around him and buried his head in the blonde’s shirt. They held each other like they would never let go.

Quietly, Jeremy kissed the top of Simon’s head, and whispered, “Merry Christmas.”

And although the reply was muffled by Jeremy’s shirt, the words were clear. “I love you.”

**Author's Note:**

> Alrighty, thanks for reading! I hope you enjoyed it even though it’s about Christmas and I’m publishing this in May. Shout out to the beautiful Cori (@askjamessirius and @cleem123 on tumblr) for proofreading this thing and pointing out my stupid - but constant - mistakes. Also shoutout to the rise discord for giving me a procrastination source.


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